Increased use of e-filing has prompted Santa Clara County Library District to stop carrying paper tax forms in its libraries, beginning January, 2012. Library District administrators anticipate the action will bring savings and environmental benefits.

"With the overall decreased use of paper forms, the reduction of hard-copy tax forms in all of our libraries makes sense, environmentally and economically," said Dion Bracco, Chair of the County Library District Joint Powers Authority Board. "This will help us focus our limited staff and physical space on core library services."

"Other libraries in Santa Clara County that are not part of the Library District stopped providing paper tax forms several years ago," said Derek Wolfgram, Deputy County Librarian responsible for public services delivered via Santa Clara County District libraries. "The environmental impacts will be tangible as we shall no longer need to transport and organize more than 500,000 printed forms and booklets, many of which end up recycled at the end of tax season."

All libraries in the District will continue to have reproducible Federal tax forms that patrons can photocopy and public computers from which Federal and State forms and instructions can be printed or downloaded. A valid Santa Clara County Library District card is required to use the computers and printouts are available at a cost of $0.15 per page.

"We're pleased our libraries continue to find ways to provide services in the most cost-efficient and environmentally responsible ways," added Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss, Delegate of the Santa Clara County Library District Joint Powers Authority. "Persons who are unable to pay for printing tax forms or to reach a library can order forms through the Internal Revenue Service."

As in previous years, some library locations will host free tax assistance from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

For information on tax resources available through the Santa Clara County Library District, visit www.sccl.org/database/subjects/taxes.html.